


Soaking up the thirst of the land

by TortiTabby



Series: Bingo Fics! [1]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Fear, Light Angst, M/M, Stress, Trapped, cuddling for warmth, fear of the ocean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-07-17 07:21:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16090778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TortiTabby/pseuds/TortiTabby
Summary: Phil reluctantly agrees to exploring a cave on the beach during their week off in Australia with Dan, Martyn and Cornelia. Sometimes "I told you so" just doesn't make anyone feel better.





	Soaking up the thirst of the land

**Author's Note:**

> This is for my bingo card squares for "trapped" and also for "cuddling for warmth" for the bingo fic fest!  
> Title by the song "Ocean Man" by Ween

Phil told Dan over and over again that it was a bad idea to explore these caves. That this was Australia and _“Who knew what would be in them?”_ but the sense of adventure had taken a hold of Dan and didn't seem to be letting him go. Phil blamed his brother.  
  
Martyn initiated operation cave exploring and for some bizarre reason Dan jumped right on the idea.  
  
Phil and Cornelia had followed suit, dragging their heels and arguing as they went. They eventually won Cornelia over and Phil begrudgingly followed.  
  
He knew they would back of if he really insisted but who was he to stop all of the fun.  
  
“Phil the house is right there. I can see where we're staying from the mouth of the cave. It'll be fine.” Dan said, but he was watching Phil closely for any real signs of distress.  
  
“It wont even be that long.” Martyn glanced at Phil before making his way into the cavern.

“Guys let's go back, the sun is going down. Let's go get dinner.” Phil repeated for what had to be the fourth time.  
  
“Get your pants out of a twist, it's fine Phil. Let's go.”  
  
Dan laughed and smiled over at Phil from across the dimly lit cave. There were various spots of the ceiling of it that were open so thankfully it wasn't too dark but Phil didn't want to find out what it would be like once it was. He didn't smile back.  
  
He loved quality time with Martyn and today had, for the most part, been a lot of fun. That didn't dispute the fact that siblings were just irritating some days and his brother was definitely under his skin today.  
  
He childishly wished Dan wouldn't take Martyn's side before silently scolding himself for thinking so. He agreed to follow them into this cave even though everyone knew he had little to no desire to do so. There were no sides to take. They were adults. It didn't make Phil feel any better, however.  
  
Phil tried not to think about the infinity pool up at the house they were renting and the only time he could have spent with Dan swimming and lounging around it, possibly other, more adult activities while they had the house to themselves for the day.  
  
He sighed.  
  
“Oh no!” Cornelia's small voice reverberated off of the damp cave walls. “We have a problem, boys.” She called out.  
  
They hurried to her side to see the cave quickly flooding. The water was deep at the mouth and the tide was progressively bringing more and more water in.  
  
“We'll just swim out.” Martyn said.  
  
Phil felt the bottom of his stomach drop out at that. The ocean was amazing, and beautiful and he knew and respected that but that didn't mean it didn't terrify him. The dark pool spilled in closer to him.  
  
There could be anything in that water. He didn't know how deep it was, he didn't know how strong the current was. He thought of being washed out to see off the coast of Australia and felt faint. The idea of not being able to see any land around you was not one Phil could entertain if he wanted to keep it together.  
  
“I don't-” Dan started, staring at Phil.  
“Martyn you can not be serious!” Cornelia shook her head and rolled her eyes. “We are in _Australia_! Literally anything could be in that water and it's too dark to see in it now.”  
“It's coming in pretty strong, too. I don't know how easy it would be to swim in it anyway.” Dan added.  
  
_I told you so. I told you so. I told you so. But you didn't listen._  
“Phil-”  
“We should just go towards the back of the cave and wait it out. Hopefully it won't wash in that far.” Phil wanted to be petty and walk past Dan without acknowledging him or whatever he was trying to say but he really didn't want to be mad. He ultimately agreed and it wasn't like any of them foresaw this happening.  
  
He grabbed Dan's hand and laced his large fingers through his own.  
  
The night around them was quickly setting in and coming to life. They were in a rainforest, after all. Phil shivered and scowled at his bare arms. The sounds of millions of different bugs and animals waking for the night rang through the cave and in the open air through the holes above them.  
  
“Let's sit down. Come here you look cold.” Dan's voice was soft and persistent.  
  
Phil shook his head. He was trying not to get mad but he could feel it rising inside of him, not unlike the tide flooding the cavern.  
  
“I don't want to sit on the floor of a cave. I don't want to be inside of a cave. I never did.” He grunted out through his teeth. There goes his handle on _that_.  
  
“Look Phil it's not his fault-”  
“Martyn.” Dan held his hands up towards Phil. “It kind of is. I know you had other plans for today.”  
Any fight Phil had left in him to be angry with Dan left. Before the flooding he was actually having a good time.  
“Sorry.” He and Dan uttered out at the same exact time. They both laughed and Phil caught Cornelia's eye as she fondly shook her head at the two of them.  
“Look Phil it's fine.” Dan sat on a rock near the cave wall and patted the side of it. “Come sit by me.”  
“Mate! Get up!” Martyn yelled and flinched away.  
  
Phil looked to where his brother's horrified gaze was pointed to see a spider as big as his hand far too close to Dan's own hand.  
“Dan!” He yelped.  
  
Dan flew to his feet and scrambled over to Phil, dusting himself off the whole way.  
“Get it off get it off get it off!” If it wasn't so harrowing it would have been hilarious.  
“Dan. Babe. It isn't on you.” Phil let out a small chuckle despite Dan's terrified expression.  
“Gah! I was next to _that_!” The group howled with laughter.  
“Let's go see if the water's gone down. It doesn't seem to be coming in any more than that. It must have just been high tide.” Cornelia said before marching back towards the large rocky opening.  
  
The tell-tale signs that the waves had been lapping in towards them even further was evident by the damp sand and tiny remnants of ocean life washed up near their feet.  
  
Delicate pieces of shells littered the ground turning the light colored sand white.  
  
There were tiny pools of water teeming with sea life. It was all a beauty Phil knew they wouldn't have had the chance to see otherwise but his uplifting perspective was thwarted as soon as he saw the dark mass in the water slowly meandering it's way over to them.  
  
It was nearly as long and tall as Dan and Phil and the back of it was out of the water while the rest of it stayed submerged.  
  
The caution signs warning them of of deadly salt water Crocodiles and deadly Jellyfish flashed in Phil's mind. He threw an arm out and pushed Dan away from the water.  
  
“There's a crocodile!” He stumbled backwards.  
  
The cave was silent save for the gurgling of the incoming tide and army of insects that were above them.  
  
A particularly strong wave cascaded in, rolling what appeared to only be a large log up to their feet.  
  
They let out a collective sigh.  
  
“I can't believe we thought that was really a crocodile.” Martyn laughed.  
“It's getting hard to see.” Cornelia said and Phil realized she was right. It wasn't too hard to see each other in the pale moonlight but not at all well. Dan fidgeted next to him.  
  
The waves washed in harder by their feet.  
  
“We need to get out of this cave.” Phil said softly and looked towards the other three.  
“The tide's definitely still coming in.” Martyn agreed and started looking around. “We could try to climb out? The ceiling isn't too high...”  
  
Phil peered up to where the moonlight poured through the gaping holes above them. If they stood on each others shoulders and on one of the larger kelp covered slippery rocks they _might_ be able to get one or two of them out but it wasn't ideal and they were much more likely to end up with one of them breaking their necks.  
  
“We are going to have to swim.” Dan said quietly and grabbed for Phil's hand. Phil knew he was apologetic for suggesting something so far out of Phil's comfort zone.  
  
“The cave's too small. I don't want us to get trapped in here and it be too hard to swim out. It doesn't look like the current is too strong right now.” Dan sighed. “I-”  
Phil shook his head.  
“You're right. I don't think we could climb out, Mar.”  
  
Martyn frowned. Phil knew he felt guilty for having the idea for them to go into the cave in the first place.  
  
“Let's just do it now while it isn't as high. The beach is right there I'm sure it wont be too difficult to just go around the corner.” Cornelia said decidedly before stretching and looking towards the water.

After going back and forth on the best way to exit the cave they landed on leaving in a line, hanging on to each other to keep track of everyone and in case anything went wrong.  
  
Phil glared out to the vast open ocean. He was barley able to make out the dark waves rolling over on top of one another in the distance. It looked nearly black in the moonlight and he could feel his stomach grow hot with nerves and fear. He couldn't help but imagine himself being washed away from everyone else and desperately trying to tread water in the colossal body of water. He pictured himself swimming with millions upon millions of living things he couldn't see or begin to imagine underneath and around him.  
  
“Alright let's go already.” Martyn clasped onto Cornelia's hand who turned to grab Phil's with a small smile. It was no secret that Phil was afraid of the ocean, and while he appreciated the sentiment, he wasn't sure he was comfortable with Dan being left in the open at the end of their line.  
  
He turned and began to open his mouth.  
  
“I'm fine, Phil. Don't worry so much.” He rolled his eyes and grabbed Phil's clammy hand. Phil could feel him run his thumb slowly over Phil's knuckles to pacify him. It didn't work, but Phil knew when he was fighting a losing battle and was grateful, nonetheless.  
Martyn silently took a step forward. The water was already nearly to his knees and they were barely in the mouth of the cave. The incoming breaker slammed into shore, causing him to stumble back a few steps.  
  
“Here goes!” He called when it looked as though the sea had a moment of peace. Phil could see a billow crest in the distance and forced his eyes to Cornelia's back in front of him.  
  
He clutched on to her tight as they began to move together out of the cave. Waves splashed up his legs, before he knew it they were in waist high water. Cornelia had it up to the middle of her back before she started treading water in front of him.  
  
The waves were rough. Phil struggled to kick his legs and keep both arms stretched out to his side. Salty sea water splashed up his nose causing him to gasp and fill his mouth. He sputtered and shook his head wildly.  
  
His fingers slipped from between Cornelia's. She turned around, eyes wide and reached back for him.  
  
“Go! Let's just go!” He yelled over the roaring waves. He could see the beach behind her. Martyn was almost there.  
  
Panic held his heart in a vice as the tide pulled and pushed them closer and further. He swam wildly, paddling aggressively with his free hand as he went.  
  
The dark water swirled around on either side of him.  
  
_“There could be anything in these waters. Anything_.” The thought ran through his head over and over.  
  
He shook the water out of his eyes to see Martyn helping Cornelia onto the dry land. He desperately wished that he was able to see Dan but the tight grip in his left hand would have to suffice until the made it to shore.  
  
He wasn't sure which one of them was holding on tighter and would be surprised if there weren't bruises left by the time they got there.  
  
“Come on!” Martyn cupped his mouth and shouted. It seemed too loud even as the ocean washed the sound away immediately.  
  
He wasn't sure if it was the current or their jerky swimming that was pulling on his arm that was connected to Dan. He could barley make out the sound of Dan violently coughing from behind him. He pulled his arm closer and finally stumbled on to the beach with Dan right by his side.  
  
Phil quickly staggered to his feet and rushed to Dan who was still coughing and spitting salt water.  
  
“Dan!” Phil grabbed his shoulder but Dan shook his head and caught his breath. He glanced down and Phil followed his gaze and squinted in the dark to see Dan's leg covered in a dark substance that he knew even in the poor lighting could only be blood.  
  
“Dan.” Phil fell to his knees by Dan's side and tried to catch the breath that had been knocked out of him by the sight of Dan's thigh. There was too much blood to see where it was coming from. Phil's head swam.  
  
“Phil.” Dan sighed, his chest still heaving. “It's okay. I just -”  
“Dan!” Cornelia hurried over, Martyn right by her side.  
“I just caught my leg on that rock.” He nodded at a particularly menacing jagged looking silhouette in the water not too far from where they were sat.  
  
“Let's get up to the house to take a look at that.”  
“I promise it isn't that bad, guys.” Dan muttered but climbed to his feet.  
  
Phil wrapped an arm around his middle, cursing himself for not putting Dan in the middle of their lineup even though he knew Dan would never go for that. He reveled in the feeling of Dan's soft stomach pressed against his hand and enjoyed the feeling of Dan's lungs moving it slowly up and down against his arm as they made their climb.

They made it up to the house they were renting for the week in record time and total silence. Cornelia kept her pace brisk as she marched inside.  
  
Phil pulled Dan over to a bench that overlooked the pool. He pushed the leg of Dan's short up just enough to see the gash that was on the inside of his leg just above his knee.  
  
Cornelia reappeared with a clean towel and plenty of supplies to clean the cut.  
  
Phil made quick work of wiping off the deep red blood and the dark bruise and knot that was forming beneath it. The cut ran halfway up the side of his thigh, but it didn't seem to be very deep and was already done bleeding.  
  
He sighed and pressed his forehead against Dan's other thigh.  
  
“We're heading inside. You guys alright?” Martyn asked.  
  
He could feel Dan wave them on.  
  
“I think we're going to stay out here for a few more minutes.” Dan said.  
Phil looked up when the door softly closed and pressed a soft kiss to Dan's blackened thigh. The cool night air blew right through their wet clothes.  
  
Phil crawled up the bench and threw his arms back around Dan and huddled in close for warmth. Neither of them said a word. Dan tucked himself under Phil's chin, a favorite spot of his for the past ten years, and sighed loudly.  
  
“What a fucking night. We're soaking wet.” He laughed.  
  
Phil squeezed his middle tighter as a reply. He could feel Dan's arms snake around his back and run his fingers along his spine.  
  
“I hated every thing about tonight.” Phil muttered. He could feel the exhaustion seep into his bones as the adrenaline wore off.  
  
“I know. I'm sorry-”  
Phil shook his head. “Don't be it isn't anybody's fault.”  
Dan barked out a sarcastic laugh.  
“I scared you to _death_ by watching you instead of where I was going and crashing into a giant rock that wasn't even all the way under the water which _then_ caused me to half drown myself. Parts are my fault, okay?”  
Phil laughed and snuggled in closer.  
“Okay.” He agreed. He glanced out to the beach they were just on. The sheer mass of the ocean made Phil feel like he could be crushed just looking at it. He had enough ocean for the night and honestly probably the rest of their trip.  
  
He could feel Dan shiver and tried to pull him closer.  
“Phil, darling, I love you but you aren't hot enough to counteract freezing clothes that are still dripping wet.”  
  
Phil laughed, the act alone warming him some.  
“Share a shower?” He suggested.  
Dan sprang off the bench and slapped a quick kiss to Phil's lips before heading to the door.  
  
“God yes! You organize some sort of food to be ordered with your brother and Cornelia and I'll start up the warm water!” He paused before smirking, “Don't order it for _too soon._ ”  
  
Phil shook his head but could feel himself smiling regardless.  
  
“Do not use up all the hot water before I can join, Howell.” He warned. He turned towards the living room and almost ran right into Martyn.  
  
“You were right about the cave.” He blurted out. Phil knew it must have been eating at his older brother for him to seek him out to apologize.  
  
He could hear his and Dan's on suite shower start through the walls behind him.  
  
“I forgive you if you order dinner for us!” He called out before laughing at the surprised look on his brother's face. He started walking backwards towards their room. Martyn looked towards the bathroom and back at Phil before making a face.  
  
“I'll order pizza and we are definitely even.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment and let me know what you think! 
> 
> Come and talk to me on tumblr:
> 
> Tumblr.com/blog/tortitabby


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